Liberals claim victory in Mount Gambier

With no clear result in the South Australian state election, the state's Liberal leader Steven Marshall will hold meetings today with key independents Geoff Brock and Bob Such.

However, the Liberal Party has already called victory in the seat of Mount Gambier.

Troy Bell is relishing the challenge that lies ahead after 12 months of campaigning.

"This has just gotten me to the start line," he said.

"We've got a lot of work to do. I'm praying it's with a Liberal government that believes in regional South Australia.

"If that's not to be, it will be harder but I'm very confident I can work with a Labor government to make sure that the south-east is put back on the map.

"I truly believe the south-east is the engine room of South Australia and with some investment down here and some growth down here in jobs we will return healthy profits to the state and if that means working as a Liberal member for Mount Gambier with a Labor government, then bring it on - I'm sure we can work together."

Independent candidate Don Pegler says he phoned Mr Bell on election night and left a message of congratulations.

Mr Pegler says he has served a great community and is now looking forward to expanding his farming interests and spending more time with family, after 20 years in state and local government.

He says his lack of self-promotion during the election campaign may have let him down.

"We did achieve a lot but I didn't promote that a lot," he said.

"I'm not one of those sort of people to blow his bags all the time, so at the end of the day I think in time to come we will all realise that the people around me and myself have achieved a lot for the district."

Mackillop

It was a comfortable Liberal Party win in the seat of Mackillop where Mitch Williams returns for his fifth term.

Mr Williams says he is looking forward to forming an alliance with Mr Bell in the neighbouring Mount Gambier electorate.

"There's such a commonality between the two electorates - the needs of both electorates are quite similar and we're a long, long way away from Adelaide, so the voice will now be doubled and when we're arguing a position, either within the party room or in Parliament itself, we'll have a consistent voice representing the south-east and I think that will benefit the region," he said.

He says the south-east can now be guaranteed greater consistency when it comes to representation in a Liberal or Labor government.

"If they retain government, and that's still an if at this stage, we are still hopeful, but notwithstanding that I think it is important that the region will be represented by a single voice and that particularly in the party room that voice will be much louder now with Troy representing Mount Gambier," he said.